1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus, and more particularly to a self-emission type display apparatus such as an organic electro-luminescence (EL) display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, organic EL display apparatuses have attracted attention as flat display apparatuses. The organic EL display apparatus has self-luminescence properties. Thus, it has features: a wide viewing angle is provided, reduction in thickness is achieved without a need for backlight, power consumption can be decreased, and a responsivity speed is high. The organic EL display apparatus is configured such that a plurality of organic EL devices are arranged on an array substrate in a matrix. Each organic EL device has such a structure that an organic light-emitting layer including an organic compound with a light-emitting function is sandwiched between an anode and a cathode.
The organic EL device is very susceptible to moisture. Even a small amount of moisture, e.g. about 1 ppm, would destroy the organic EL device, and the organic EL device could no longer maintain a display performance as a display device. It is necessary, therefore, that the organic EL device is configured to be kept out of contact with an external atmosphere. In a general manufacturing process, the array substrate is sealed by a sealing substrate, to which a desiccating material is added, in an inert gas atmosphere of, e.g. nitrogen gas, under dew-point management. In this case, the array substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded to each other via a sealing material mixed with granular spacers each having a size of several-ten μm. The spacer mixed in the sealing material defines a predetermined gap between the array substrate and the sealing substrate so as to prevent contact between the organic EL devices arranged on the array substrate and the desiccating material.
When the array substrate and the sealing substrate are to be bonded by the sealing material, the sealing material is cured by ultraviolet irradiation in the state in which both substrates are under pressure. In this case, there is a possibility that the granular spacers mixed in the sealing material may press a drive circuit provided in the vicinity of the sealing material. This may result in damage to the drive circuit. In particular, in display apparatuses used in small-sized mobile terminals, the production of which has increased in recent years, there is little extra area in the frame size and thus it is difficult to keep a sufficient margin. Consequently, the aforementioned problem tends to occur with the display apparatus for the small-sized mobile terminal, and the reliability may deteriorate.
In a case where a plurality of organic EL display apparatuses are to be cut out of a single mother substrate, there is no portions serving as fulcra along scribe lines. As a result, defects such as a chip tend to occur at end portions of the substrates of the cut-out organic EL display apparatuses, and it is difficult to cut out the display apparatuses with high precision.